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YORGEN Fenech's trial on Tuesday began with Keith Schembri's long-awaited tes- timony but ended in the most dramatic fashion after the judge ordered a confrontation of witnesses. Schembri testified that Fenech's lawyers had offered businessperson Johann Cre- mona €400,000 to testify in favour of their client. The declaration caused a stir and Judge Edwina Grima ordered that Cremona be brought to court immediately for a direct confrontation with Schembri on the matter. From the outset of the con- frontation, Cremona appeared visibly distressed. When Judge Grima asked whether lawyers had ever discussed his testimony with him, he replied: "I don't want to harm anyone. Can I take all the blame?" The judge repeatedly ques- tioned him about whether he had ever been offered money, warning that she could order his arrest and keep him in cus- tody until he told the truth. During the exchange, Cre- mona confirmed that the screenshot he had presented in court last week had been sent to him by Keith Schem- bri, before saying that the al- legations he had made were "made up." Judge Grima rejected that explanation, telling him she did not believe he had invent- ed the story and that she be- lieved he was attempting to avoid answering the court's questions. WWW.MALTATODAY.COM.MT €1.00 WEDNESDAY • 29 JULY 2026 • ISSUE 1004 • PUBLISHED EVERY WEDNESDAY AND SUNDAY EDITORIAL • PAGE 11 Study probes the psychology of Malta's bird hunters A new study by researcher Stella Portelli from Wageningen Univer- sity suggests that resolving Malta's long-running conflict over bird hunt- ing requires more than stricter en- forcement. Instead, it calls for a better understanding of the emotions, desires and identities that drive hunters. Published in the journal Political Geography, the study examines the psychology of bird hunting in Malta, arguing that moving beyond simplistic "good versus evil" narratives is essential to finding a more sustainable way for- ward. Central to Portelli's research is the concept of namra, an intense passion that many hunters describe as lying at the heart of their identity. CONTINUES PAGE 7 WEDNESDAY EDITION Cremona won't confirm €400,000 offer by Yorgen Fenech's lawyers Personal Loans NEW BOAT? All loans are subject to normal bank lending criteria and final approval from the Bank. The term of the loan must not go beyond re rement age. Issued by Bank of Valle a p.l.c. 58, Triq San Żakkarija, Il-Belt Valle a VLT 1130. Bank of Valle a p.l.c. is regulated by the MFSA and licensed to carry out the business of banking in terms of the Banking Act (Cap. 371 of the Laws of Malta). Compe ve Interest Rates Yorgen Fenech's murder trial ended with an extraordinary courtroom confrontation on Tuesday with Johann Cremona repeatedly refusing to answer whether he had been offered money by the accused's lawyers to help their client CONTINUES PAGE 3 JAMES DEBONO jdebono@mediatoday.com.mt Johann Cremona (exiting car) arriving to court after the judge in Yorgen Fenech's trial ordered a confrontation between him and Keith Schembri, who was testifying (Photo: Jaelle Borg) MAYA GALEA & JAELLE BORG mgalea@mediatoday.com.mt jborg@mediatoday.com.mt YORGEN FENECH JURY TRIAL